Looking To Hire for Your Small Business? Learn How To Recruit Immigrants
Many small business owners in America underestimate the power of the immigrant workforce. Immigrants have already made sacrifices to move to another country, often with the sole goal of making a better life for themselves and their families. This makes them adaptable, motivated, and hard-working. Plus, contrary to popular belief, research shows that immigrant workers actually boost the economy, so investing in immigrant recruitment can help the economy while also diversifying your staff. Having employees from a variety of cultural and ethnic backgrounds increases the number of different perspectives you can pull from, allowing you to run and grow your business more effectively. Use the following strategies to effectively recruit immigrants for your small business, which are presented below by Portfolio Management Group.
Legally Hire Workers
When hiring an immigrant worker, you may have to take extra steps to ensure that you are employing them legally. First, you should work with the Department of Labor to gain certification for working with foreign employees. The types of certifications you need are based on the type of work visa program you are applying for, which depends on job type, length of employment, and American relations with the immigrant’s original country. Then, once hired, you need to verify the individual’s employment eligibility via an I-9 form within three days of hire.
Advertise Without Discriminating
When advertising an open position, businesses often make the mistake of using language that may seem discriminatory to an immigrant. If you want to encourage immigrant recruitment, avoid discriminatory language such as “Only U.S. citizens” or indicating that proof of certain documentation is required as part of the application. Using such phasing also puts you at risk of violating discrimination laws.
Make Your Business Bilingual
Often, an immigrant’s native language isn’t English. However, making accommodations for a language barrier not only gives immigrants the opportunity to join the workforce comfortably but increases your business’s ability to operate. Foreign knowledge is an essential piece of any business’s plan to expand. What’s more, having a team composed of people who know and understand a target culture can be invaluable.
Adjust Your Company Culture
Company culture is important for the long-term health of a business. Creating it at the business’s inception can be easy, but making adjustments to an established culture can be difficult. If you’re thinking of recruiting immigrants, you should make sure that your company’s values emphasize inclusivity. The earlier you start exemplifying this concept, the better, as proper company culture requires all employees to actively participate in the company’s values. Without investing the time, contrasting or unclear cultures could clash.
Hire Remote Workers
You don’t always have to hire workers for your primary location. Some tasks can be conducted remotely by workers from abroad. Establishing payroll can be tricky, though, and you want to ensure that your overseas employees are being paid legally and that your business isn’t losing money to associated taxes and currency fluctuations. Most platforms and international wire transfers may not be financially feasible in the long run, but if you want something reliable and affordable, try a money transfer service like Remitly. If you’re sending money to employees in Brazil, for example, you can send money to them in minutes for as little as $5.99.
Immigrants generally come to the States looking for work, and providing them with opportunities to show their worth is the best way to recruit them. If you’re a small business owner, consider tapping into this lucrative market to staff your company.
“Naomi Johnson created lifebasedbusiness.net for small business owners, creatives, solopreneurs, boss babes and bros, and side hustlers who are committed to designing their careers to accomodate how they want to live, instead of the other way around. Through her site, Naomi offers practical advice and inspiration to help others adopt the life-based business mentality and change their lives in immensely positive, fulfilling ways.”
Portfolio Management Group can help you discover the best ways to hire great employees. Get in contact with us today for a free consultation. Call 727–370–3080.
